Wireless communication may be used as a means of accessing a network. Wireless communication has certain advantages over wired communications for accessing a network. One of those advantages is a lower cost of infrastructure to provide access to many separate locations or addresses compared to wired communications. This is the so-called “last mile” problem. Another advantage is mobility. Wireless communication devices, such as cell phones, are not tied by wires to a fixed location. To use wireless communication to access a network, a customer needs to have at least one transceiver in active communication with another transceiver that is connected to the network.
To facilitate wireless communications, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) has promulgated a number of wireless standards. These include the 802.11 (WiFi) standards and the 802.16 (WiMAX) standards. Likewise, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has promulgated standards to facilitate wireless communications. This includes TIA-856, which is also known as Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO). The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) has also promulgated a standard known a long term evolution (LTE). Additional standards such as the fourth generation communication system (4G) are also being pursued.
All of these standards pursue the aim of providing a comprehensive IP solution where voice, data, and streamed multimedia can be given to users on an “anytime, anywhere” basis. These standards also aim to provide higher data rates than previous generations. All of these standards may include specifications for various aspects of wireless communication with a network including processes for registering on the network, carrier modulation, frequency bands of operation, and message formats.
Overview
A method of operating a media access control (MAC) layer for in-band backhaul of wireless communication is disclosed. A first service flow and a second service flow are combined into a backhaul service flow. One or more data structures within a first downlink frame are defined. The first downlink frame comprises an access region and a backhaul region. The one or more data structures are in the backhaul region. The one or more data structures are also defined within a second downlink frame. The second downlink frame comprises the access region and the backhaul region. The one or more data structures defined in the second downlink frame are in the backhaul region. The backhaul service flow is distributed into the one or more data structures. The first downlink frame and the second downlink frame are sent. The first downlink frame and the second downlink frame comprise an access map and a backhaul map. The access map has a first size. The backhaul map has a second size. The second size is smaller than the first size.
A system for in-band backhaul of wireless communication is disclosed. A wireless base station transmits a first downlink frame and a second downlink frame. The first downlink frame comprises an access region and a backhaul region. There are one or more data structures defined in the backhaul region. The second downlink frame also comprises the access region and the backhaul region. The one or more data structures in the second downlink frame are defined in the backhaul region. The wireless base station receives a first service flow and a second service and combines the first service flow and the second service flow into a backhaul service flow. The wireless base station distributes the backhaul service flow into the one or more data structures. The wireless base station sends the first downlink frame and the second downlink frame to a second base station. The first downlink frame and the second downlink frame comprise an access map and a backhaul map. The access map has a first size. The backhaul map has a second size. The second size is smaller than the first size.
A method of operating a wireless communication system is disclosed. A first set of packets directed to a wireless in-band backhaul link from wireless access link is received. A second set of packets directed to the wireless access link from the wireless in-band backhaul link is received. One or more fixed size backhaul bursts is defined within a backhaul region of a plurality of downlink frames. The plurality of downlink frames comprise an access region and the backhaul region. One or more access bursts are defined within the access region. The second set of packets is distributed to the one or more access bursts. The first set of packets is distributed to the one or more fixed size backhaul bursts. All of the plurality of downlink frames are wirelessly transmitted consecutively without changing a size or a position of each of the one or more fixed size backhaul bursts. The plurality of downlink frames comprise an access map having a first size and a backhaul map having a second size that is less than the first size. The access map is defined within the access region. The backhaul map is defined within the backhaul region.